Sunday, 29 March 2015

Equine conformation is the method of evaluating correctness of a specific breed's body proportion, bone structure, and musculature. While judging a horse's conformation, "form follows function" is considered: What is the animal's intended use? For instance, a Clydesdale is certainly not intended to be used in the same manner as the American Saddle Bred!

While researching a specific breed for sculpture subject matter, I refrain from slavishly analyzing strict conformation and typically experience the breed in its environment, up-close and personal. I pay attention to my first impression of the animal and what impressed me most. Afterwards and in the studio, I usually have a more analytical approach - particularly to proportion - while going over my sketches and photography. I also obtain all the information

and imagery I can in my library and the internet. . . I'm after the "look and feel" of the breed . . .

the GISS, or General Impression, Size, and Shape.

Below, is a great source of equine reference: The visible horse, purchased in a toy store.

Below, is a sketch of my approach to basic equine proportion which was discussed in the previous blog.

Two different breeds are highlighted in this post: The American Saddle Bred and the Clydesdale.

I do not hesitate to exaggerate and/or distort proportion while seeking an artistic statement about the specific breed's conformation and proportions. For instance, making the waist of the Saddle Bred a bit smaller causes the animal to look more athletic and modeling the head of a Saddler slightly more refined creates a more elegant appearance.

A great place to experience the beautiful American Saddle Bred is a horse show.

I'm researching and planning a sculpture of a Saddler and below is an image of the horse's silhouette.

The American Saddle Bred - whether three-gaited or five-gaited - is an elegant horse with well-sloped shoulders,

flat croup, long and fine neck, and strong legs. Three gaits are natural to most horses: The walk, trot, and cantor.

The five-gaited horse must learn two more: The rack and the amble [also called the broken trot].

Whether bred for show or pleasure riding, the Saddler's conformation is stylish and proud.

The foremost quality that a Five-gaited Saddler must have when ridden in the ring is presence and flashy animation.

The judge looks for high action and high carriage of the head and tail. I never fail to get a lump in my throat when the show ring announcer shouts, "rack on!". . . the horse accelerates and goes faster and faster as the crowd goes wild!
The rack is a fast, smooth gait whereby the horse travels with each foot touching the ground separately to make four distinct beats. The horse must be trained to do the rack . . it's demanding and tiring for the horse but comfortable
for the rider. The Five-gaited is shown with long, flowing mane, while the mane of the Three-gaited is roached.

Big draft breeds like the Clydesdale were useful on farms and pulling wagons with heavy loads and have been replaced with tractors. In towns, the nostalgic clopping of the Clydesdale can be imagined pulling carts piled high with beer kegs.

The Clydesdale's history dates from the 18th century and originated in Scotland. The breed evolved from the English draft horse and heavy Flemish stock and is not as heavy as other draft breeds such as the Shire, Belgian, or Percheron.

The Clydesdale has a distinctive style that is characterized by a brisk walk and stride. The neck is well arched with long shoulders and high withers. The back is short with well-sprung ribs and the strongly muscled hind quarters and legs convey an impression of strength and pulling power. The long, sloping pasterns are feathered at the rear of the legs below the knees, wrist, and hocks . . . most Clydesdales are either black, brown, or bay with white on the face and legs.

Below, is a recent bronze sculpture of a Clydesdale with tack entitled, "Horse Power".

Horse Power
There are many books about equine breeds and conformation . . . a good one is
"Storey's Illustrated Guide to 95 Horse Breeds" by Judith Harris Dutson;
Storey Publishing; 2005. Also available on Kindle.

Go to the BLOG INDEX and Reference Page for more information. See posts #616 and 655

Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Every good painter and sculptor of animals studies anatomy. Experience teaches the artist what to look for and where
to expect to find it. The bones of individual species such as the horse are fixed as to length and proportion

and are restricted as to range of movement and articulation. A horse's anatomy is governed by laws of mechanics.

Blog post # 616 shows eight great publications about animal anatomy for the artist. One time-honored artist and publication was not included and was saved for this blog which focuses on proportion and waypoints:

The book is "Studies in the Art Anatomy of Animals" by Ernest Thompson Seton.

Originally published in 1896, the book is available today. My copy is old and was published by Running Press.
There is a 2004 reprint (smaller format) available by Fredonia Books www.fredoniabooks.com

I have used Seton's technique regarding proportion for years . . . as shown below in sketchbook from the 1970s.

Seton's method for measuring a horse starts with a square and is measured in head length.

Shown below is a drawing of a typical horse . . . I use dividers when checking a sculpture in progress against my
working drawings and silhouette. For instance, one head length equals the greatest width of the chest to the back.
The additional three area measurements that equal one head length are indicated by the green lines and the dividers.

Using Seton's method of proportion, I am at once aware of the length of head measurement compared to the
shoulder blade and the slope of the shoulder, the point of rump, the point of hips and croup, hock, elbow, withers, poll, point of shoulder, the distance between the back and the chest, and can check them with calipers or dividers.

The artist's goal is not to create a specimen but a work of art. An artist develops their individual way of seeing an animal's natural characteristics. The manner in which the animal is presented is the artist's style and the imprint of their personality. Awareness of proportion and waypoints helps the artist evaluate their work with a clearer
and more discerning eye while exploring various possibilities of design.

The artist should know sound methods and technique but never stop experimenting and taking chances. . .
precise attention to anatomy should not inhibit the style or manner in which the artist executes the art.
Whether creating a sculpture or painting in a realistic, stylized, or even distorted manner,
the basic fundamentals of anatomy still hold true for the subject matter.

Shown below is a sculpture entitled, "Nipper". When modeling foals, proportion changes.
For instance, a foal grows into their long legs. Also, proportion can vary among different breeds.
Next Sunday's blog post will focus on different breeds of horses.

Nipper

Go to the BLOG INDEX and Reference Page for more information. See posts #616 and 655

Sunday, 22 March 2015

The artist must understand the location of bony landmarks when drawing, painting, and sculpting a figure such as the horse. A painter creates the illusion of form by showing shadow, middle-tone, and highlights while the sculptor models a form in space that creates its own. It may sound simplistic, but when asked what my main concern is in sculpture . . .
my reply is to make sure all of the shadows fall in the right place!

But how does a sculptor make sure all of the shadows fall in the right place?
The answer: Bony landmarks.

The best way to analyze bony landmarks involve the following considerations:

1. How does the skeleton influence the surface appearance?

2. The artist must understand the animal's skeleton and the location of bony landmarks in the figure.

3. Where does the skeletal structure rise to the surface?

4. Bony landmarks are typically hard edges while muscle structure is not. Their relationship to each

other, where muscles attach to the main bones, must be understood.

5. Observe the horse: Where there are dips, curves, bumps, and knobs, projection and indentations -
there is an anatomical explanation that the sculptor must understand.

6. A bony landmark is a "waypoint" for the sculptor and is any identifiable point on the figure that

can be referred to such as where the femur joins the pelvis, where the humerus joins the scapula,
or the tibia joins the metatarsus [cannonbone], etc.

Shown below is a clay model of a horse with body landmarks identified with dots.

7. Bony landmarks occur at places where different parts of a form meet or come together. This is
also called "points of articulation".
8. Understanding anatomy takes the mystery out of drawing, painting, and sculpting. Start with the
largest bones and compare them with your own. All mammals have the same basic design.
9. Bony landmarks can assist the artist in establishing proportion and a point of reference which is
discussed and illustrated in the next blog post.
10. Beyond bony landmarks and waypoints, the sculptor must keep the large masses simple. clarified,
and unified . . . more is said with large shapes, planes, and masses.
11. Indicate the simple, underlying masses of the skeletal system: Skull, rib cage, pelvis, lumbar,
abdomen, neck, shoulder, upper and lower leg, etc.
12. Bony landmarks are generally the joining of limbs and the points of articulation . . . be aware of

your own body and movement when modeling the horse. See drawing below.

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

There are approximately 205 bones in the horse's skeleton and the artist must understand the skeletal structure.

The artist must also know the major muscle groups. Some of the muscles are deep and are hidden by outer muscles that lie over them. The outer muscles - called superficial muscles - are those that lie just beneath the skin and are of major importance to the horse artist. Some animals, such as bears are covered with thick fur but a horse's musculature, like humans, is revealed. Please see blog #448, posted July 31, 2013; and blog #450, posted August 7, 2013

Sunday, 15 March 2015

When I left art school in Kansas City in the early 1960s, I entered the realm of commercial art and animation.
My heroes then remain my heroes now . . . one of them was the outstanding illustrator of horses: Sam Savitt.
Born in 1917, he passed away in the year 2000. He illustrated for outdoor magazines but horse stories
was always his specialty . . . be it racing, polo, western, rodeo, dressage, or fox hunting and I remember him
as a youngster when my Father would give me his magazines to tear the pictures for my scrapbooks.

He authored numerous books, illustrated over 150 books, and among many other publications, illustrated a line of comics for Gene Autry's horse, Champion for Dell Comics in 1951 which I eagerly collected. . . and wish I had saved.

Not only was he a great illustrator, he was a horseman with a great knowledge of horses.

Below, is the cover of one of his best know books, "Draw Horses With Sam Savitt", originally published in 1981
by Half Halt Press, Middletown, Maryland. Also shown are images of pages from the book.
This is a very informative book and he shows you how to draw and understand the horse in motion,

conformation and markings, anatomy, and breeds of horses, and much more.

In 1995, while teaching a bird sculpture workshop at Scottsdale Artists' School, Mr. Savitt was also an instructor there.

I had the great pleasure of meeting him and was truly star-struck! Trish and I had just picked up our new West Highland Terrier puppy and he was totally charmed by the little dog and would play with it every day when we took our breaks.

A few years later, after he had died I found the book, published 1969, shown below in a flea market and rescued it.

To my delight, when I opened the book, it had been signed to someone and had a sketch of a horse

which is also shown below. His elegant style and presentation of the horse is my ideal.

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

Several days ago I received an email from a student who had taken one of my bird sculpture and anatomy workshops asking where to find quadruped anatomy reference for the artist. I only teach workshops about bird sculpture but a large portion of my portfolio depicts a wide range of quadruped species and over the years,

I've collected many books about the subject which I use in conjunction with online data.

Quadrupeds - animals with four legs - as well as humans all have the same general skeleton design.

All mammals, including horses, dogs, cats, deer, humans, etc. evolved from the same prehistoric source and it's logical that their skeletons are fundamentally the same. Keep in mind, mammals, like human, have two arms and two legs . . . their two front limbs are arms and their two back limbs are legs.

Humans have evolved in such a way as to not walk on all fours like quadrupeds.

The spine is the main support or armature for the body, the skull houses the brain, and the ribs form a protective cage around the heart and lungs. Quadrupeds come in different sizes and shapes depending on how they evolved and were designed by nature according to their surroundings and way of life. Despite the diversity of design, the same main bones such as humerus, femur, etc. are in each creature. The artist who understands this can easily interpolate known functional data about specific species such as a horse, dog, or cat to other species in the wild which are difficult to study from life.

It's easier to pick up your dog and note how the joints articulate than to attempt handling a wolf or grizzly!

I have posted two previous blogs about this subject which gives much more information:

Below, are eight anatomy books that are directed toward the artist. I continue to use them all and they are the source,
along with "Zoobooks" for some of the instructional imagery and information in this blog. . . credit is given when used.

I've included the publisher's name and to my knowledge, they are still available and in print.

Author: Gottfried Bammes Chartwell Books

Oxford University Press

Dover Publications

Dover Publications

Dover Publications

Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers

Dover Publications

Dover Publications

Go to the BLOG INDEX and Reference Page for more information.

The books above have been used as a source of information and imagery for some of the instructional posts
in this blog and are individually noted. This material is meant for learning and to be used
as a reference source for artists and students in the studio. Also, see post #655

Sunday, 8 March 2015

This morning, I started a clay sketch of a foal. After several hours work, I'm confident that I like it, will complete it,
and use it in an upcoming show. Quick clay sketches can have honesty and vitality, but spontaneity is not possible
without planning and structuring. Having a good plan and design enable the sculptor to make the sculpture intuitive
and spontaneous . . . a thorough knowledge of the animal's structure and anatomy is a must when working quickly.

Below, is an image taken this morning after two hours work on the model.

Note: The gesture had previously been determined and the armature was built last night.

Typically, when working on a clay sketch, I establish the design and dynamics of the sculpture in morning light
as quickly as possible. Being energized with coffee helps! I will usually leave the work after the block-in and
go to other projects and return to the work in the low light of dusk.

No lighting is as important to me as dusk and evening light. This time is magic in the studio and I tweak the design
under a single source, low natural north light with all artificial lighting off . . . careful to retain spontaneity.
A single light source enables me to see form. I deplore flooded light when modeling and do not use it in the studio unless I'm building armatures, etc. If I work at night or if it's a dark overcast day, I work from a single-source, low wattage bulb. . . there's no fluorescent lighting in my design studio.

Below, I check the silhouette against back lighting and note the arrangement of positive and negative shapes.
I'll live with it awhile and continue making adjustments with closer modeling of the head before going to mold.

Wednesday, 4 March 2015

Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, Native American and Canadian tribes of the north call

February's full moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes referred to this moon as the Full Hunger Moon

since harsh and frigid weather made hunting food difficult.

Shown below, a Mule Deer doe slowly passes under last night's Full Snow Moon in the sub-zero cold.

The night before last, a snowstorm dumped over ten more inches on our studio headquarters at the foot of the Wind River Range in Wyoming. We woke up this morning to -16 degrees temperatures and as usual, the first thing one thinks about are the animals . . . both domestic and wild. We have horses, goats, poultry, and feral barn cats that share the property with a resident herd of mule deer and wintering pheasants. At the base of heated buildings such as the studio, animals congregate because the temperature is actually a few degrees warmer. We keep a water heater in a big rubber tub and put out hay and corn for the geese. The chickens have a heat lamp in their coop and we enjoy fresh eggs in the winter because the light induces laying eggs. While all of this is a necessity for the domestic animals, we are careful not to tame the deer which would inhibit their wildness and ability to survive . . . after all, in the big scheme of things, we are predators.

Below, are images taken at our place along the frozen Popo Agie River in Wyoming.

Although the surface is frozen, the big river flows underneath to join the Wind River downstream.

This photo was taken from the studio deck this morning . . . below zero but sunny!

The barn protects horses, goats, and barn cats but on this sunny day, the warm sun will feel good on their backs.

Geese are amazingly adaptable to frigid weather and like all creatures, require an open source of water. Water, in this climate, can freeze in less than an hour!

Below and at right, the big domestic geese are fed corn and hay is given to the deer when snow covers the ground. Trish cries,"goose-goose-goose" and the geese come running!

Below, Trish and Penny enjoy a warm fire after chores are done.

Below, no sun yesterday but the deer, with their long winter's coat, nestled in the snow
and bedded down for warmth and the pheasant found morsels by scratching through the snow.

In the bleak midwinter, Frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

- Christina G. Rossetti

Deer have always been a favorite subject. Below is an early etching (1979) entitled, "First Snow".

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This weblog is written by nationally acclaimed sculptor Sandy Scott, the focus is sculpture and is directed toward collectors, galleries, students and those who love art. Words and pictures intertwine to reveal both the substance and style of a figurative wildlife artist who lives the life she depicts. It is a learning tool and a profile of a successful artist that connects the reader to studio procedures, field study and how an artist works. You can contact Sandy Scott in the blog comments or in Facebook.